


we don't feel like outsiders at all

by knightswatch



Series: Pack Mentality [8]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Camping, M/M, Minor Violence, Team Bonding Gone Bad, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-26 22:12:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5022469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knightswatch/pseuds/knightswatch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kyoutani has half climbed his way into Yahaba's lap when the rain stops. There're several seconds of silence before Kyoutani leans back suddenly, hand still warm on the back of Yahaba's neck, looking at the ceiling of the tent with a grin creeping slowly over his face, looking back at Yahaba with bright eyes. “Wanna walk around?”</p>
<p>Yahaba laughs softly at his eagerness, nodding and pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth, letting Kyoutani wiggle off of him before pulling his boots on and subtly glancing at Kyoutani tugging his shirt off over his head. He rolls his shoulders, stretching his arms over his head and Yahaba grins. “I didn't bring a leash.”</p>
<p>“Fuck you,” Kyoutani shoots back without malice, letting Yahaba climb out with the flashlight in hand before hunching over in the doorway. “I won't run off, don't worry.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	we don't feel like outsiders at all

**Author's Note:**

> It's been awhile since I wrote more of this! I really missed these two babies though, especially with season two starting <3

The rain only makes it worse. Taking the team camping had really seemed like a good idea-- after graduation and with the new crop of first years, Yahaba figured they needed some kind of exercise to _force_ a little bit of bonding.

He supposes that crunching into two-man tents to avoid the rain and watching Kyoutani jolt slightly at every distant sound in the forest around them counted as bonding of some kind. They had never gone camping with Oikawa as captain, mostly because he found the idea of spending a night in the woods getting dirty intolerable. It had, in fact, been a suggestion courtesy of Iwaizumi that was supported by vice-captain Watari, who had claimed he went camping all the time as a child.

Watari couldn't pitch the tents properly, and they spent over an hour struggling with each one until Kunimi finally caved and helped, somehow fixing all of them to be flawless and secure. Now they were all bundled into tents, the rain outside pattering against the fabric and leaves, the door partially unzipped so Yahaba could at least pretend to keep an eye on the rest of the team. It was starting to sound like the storm was passing over though it was so late he hoped that everyone else had gone to sleep already.

Sighing, he casts a glance back at the glower on Kyoutani's face, rolling his eyes and reaching an arm out towards him, raising an eyebrow. “You can't even hear anything but the rain.”

“I know. Something doesn't feel right,” Kyoutani frowns but shuffles so Yahaba's arm is draping over his shoulders, hesitating for a beat before resting his head on Yahaba in return. “Sorry.”

“It's fine,” Yahaba rubs up and down his back slowly, trying to sharpen his own ears and listen. He's grown to trust Kyoutani's intuition anyways, and hearing that he doesn't think something is right is worrying. Still, they should be safe enough in such a big, loud group and the fire outside is still burning, if a little bit sadly. “We can take a walk when the rain lets up a little further.”

There's a quirk of a smile on Kyoutani's face at the offer and he nods his head, turning and sniffing slightly at Yahaba's hair, a soft chuckle falling out of his mouth. “You smell like smoke.”

“Oh shut up,” he snorts, not wanting to remember the episode of almost setting himself on fire. He pinches at Kyoutani's side for good measure, making a note to himself to never take one of Iwaizumi's suggestions again. Of course _he_ would think spending two nights in the middle of the woods was a good idea, the same way Kyoutani had practically sparkled at the mention. It was funny how predictable the whole werewolf thing was starting to seem, once Yahaba had it figured out.

Kyoutani huffs another laugh, letting it taper off before pressing a shy kiss to the side of Yahaba's neck. Physicality hasn't come easily to either of them and Yahaba can feel the tips of his ears burn at the contact, even as he tightens his fingers at the back of Kyoutani's shirt and tilts his head slightly away to expose his neck. If Yahaba were thinking harder about it, he would probably come to the conclusion that a flimsy tent surrounded by teammates was not the best place for the two of them to make-out, but he lets the gentle patter of raindrops outside wash the thought away.

He turns his head, grinning slightly before kissing Kyoutani's quirked lips, his other hand lifting to rest on his shoulder before sliding up to cup his face. There's no flinch, one thing Yahaba is glad for; Kyoutani seems to do much better when he knows what Yahaba is planning on doing first. Yahaba hasn't asked way-- the possibilities of the answer scare him a little, but he's fine with being patient, with giving Kyoutani time to learn that his touches don't mean that bad things are coming.

Kyoutani has half climbed his way into Yahaba's lap when the rain stops. There're several seconds of silence before Kyoutani leans back suddenly, hand still warm on the back of Yahaba's neck, looking at the ceiling of the tent with a grin creeping slowly over his face, looking back at Yahaba with bright eyes. “Wanna walk around?”

Yahaba laughs softly at his eagerness, nodding and pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth, letting Kyoutani wiggle off of him before pulling his boots on and subtly glancing at Kyoutani tugging his shirt off over his head. He rolls his shoulders, stretching his arms over his head and Yahaba grins. “I didn't bring a leash.”

“Fuck you,” Kyoutani shoots back without malice, letting Yahaba climb out with the flashlight in hand before hunching over in the doorway. “I won't run off, don't worry.”

“You better not. I can't sniff my way back,” Yahaba rolls his eyes, watching Kyoutani shift forms with the same speed and fluidity he always has. It's incredible, even if Yahaba is loathe to ever tell him that. Kyoutani looks up with a huff of air, twitching his ears and hopping out of the tent, sitting and thumping his tail on the damp leaves while Yahaba struggles to zip it closed again. He shoots a glare over his shoulder. “You want bugs? Because I don't.”

Kyoutani just growls slightly at him and Yahaba flicks one of his ears with a roll of his eyes before flicking on the flashlight and nodding ahead of him, glad it's not so cold that he regrets not having his jacket. Kyoutani hops up with his tongue lolling out on one side of his mouth and jogs a little ahead, tail wagging.

True to his word, he stays well within view, even when he pauses to sniff at trees or the air around him, ears flicking. It stops seeming so aimless after a bit, Kyoutani moving from trunk to trunk with purpose. Yahaba stops shortly behind him, rolling his eyes and huffing a sigh. “What in the world are you doing?”

Kyoutani lifts his head and growls, and this time it isn't the playful one that Yahaba is used to. It has much more menace, vibrating up from the center of his chest while he lifts the front of his lip to reveal shining white teeth, ears flattening towards his head. Yahaba blinks at the sudden aggressive posture, taking a step back and holding his hands up. “K- Kentarou?”

There's another growl, this time from behind him and Yahaba wheels around quickly enough to send damp leaves spraying away from the heel of his hiking boot. He points the light in front of him, swallowing sharply at the trio of wolves staring back at him, their eyes reflecting the light in his hand. Reflexively he backs up towards Kyoutani, the posturing making much more sense now. He rests a hand on the thick yellow fur on his back, struggling to keep his voice even.

“We're just taking a walk,” he's really hoping that these aren't real wolves and he's not making himself sound like an idiot. Kyoutani growls again but turns his head, nosing slightly at Yahaba's leg with enough force to push him back a step. He gets the message-- that he should leave and go back, and even if it was something he _would_ do (it isn't), he _can't_ because he doesn't know the way without Kyoutani, and he's not going to charge off blindly into the woods to starve and die.

Kyoutani whips his head back around when Yahaba doesn't go, hunching his body lower, tail straight behind him, licking his lips. Aggression. Fear. Yahaba has done enough research into canine body language to understand that real wolves or not, Kyoutani doesn't like them and is trying to encourage them to leave. He doesn't seem to want to start a fight on his own, either, which isn't quite a relief. 

The wolf in the front of the trio-- by far the largest, with a mottled silver coat and an ear missing a chunk from it, snaps his teeth in return, taking a slow step forward. Kyoutani tenses further, his paws digging into the soft ground. Yahaba isn't sure if trying to talk his way out of this would make it better or worse, and he hesitantly pulls his hand away from Kyoutani's fur reluctantly. He frowns, glancing at the other two starting to quietly fan further out, teeth digging into his lower lip. 

He's lost on how to actually help, and when Kyoutani launches himself forward first, teeth snapping mid-air, growls vibrating the air so sharply it's rent apart, Yahaba actually yelps and stumbles backward, tripping on a branch beneath his feet. Kyoutani hits the wolf in front, and it becomes immediately obvious how much smaller he is when the two of them go rolling across wet leaves. His back legs scramble wild kicks at the other wolf, landing on his side and picking himself up, shaking teeth away from his neck with another savage growling sound. 

They stop, circling one another, Kyoutani's tail drooping slightly lower. It becomes quickly obvious that he's holding a position between the three of them and Yahaba, who has at least picked himself off the ground and wiped his stinging palms on the sides of his shirt. He knows better, at least, than to move anywhere that he might be more exposed since Kyoutani is making the priority keeping him safe, and so he backed himself against a tree, managing to avoid the branch again.

Kyoutani lunges first once again, digging his teeth low on the other wolf's chest, tearing into flesh and shoving his weight forward in an effort to knock the larger beast onto his back. He doesn't have the power, it seems, because despite the stumble the other wolf's teeth sink into Kyoutani's shoulder in return.

Yahaba has never really seen Kyoutani fight, but he's seen him play volleyball enough to know that there is no halfway and there isn't a stop to him once he hits his stride. Kyoutani shakes himself free but doesn't stop pushing himself forward, snapping at ears, legs, muzzle, refusing to give up an inch of ground. It seems, for a moment, like it's working until one of the other two wolves charges at his side, knocking him over and sending him rolling across the ground once more.

When Kyoutani hefts himself back to his feet there's a shirtless boy sitting on the ground a few feet away, using the back of his hand to wipe the blood away from his mouth, a tear in his shoulder and scrapes on his chest. He laughs at Kyoutani standing again, panting out harsh breaths and letting his tongue hang out, blood staining his teeth and the fur around his muzzle. He doesn't change, circling so he's once again holding himself between them and Yahaba. The boy blinks his eyes twice, looking up at Yahaba with a nasty grin and no words, shifting back just as quickly and leaping forward with his jaws open and hungry.

Yahaba can see the way Kyoutani tenses his body in preparation, but he isn't prepared for being hit on both sides, falling to the side, stomach exposed, snapping at the air and trying to guard himself from his back. Teeth sink into the side of his neck, and there's a sharp yelp that doesn't come from Kyoutani's mouth.

Yahaba abandons the flashlight, gripping the branch he tripped over before in both hands and lifting it over his head, swiping out again and hitting the wolf biting into Kyoutani's neck. The impact is hard enough that his arms shake, but he doesn't let go, stepping over Kyoutani when they back up with snarls on their lips, shaking his head and holding the branch in both hands like a bat, feet planted on either side of Kyoutani.

There's a beat of hesitation, several huffing sounds exchanged between the three of them before they turn and melt into the darkness with yips that sound suspiciously like laughter to Yahaba. He doesn't stop to consider it, doesn't have the pride. Instead, he drops the branch to the side and scoops the light up again, reaching a hand out slowly, making sure Kyoutani can track the motion with his eyes, palm facing upward.

Kyoutani lifts up slowly, and there's a shake in his legs that Yahaba can't ignore, along with the wary look in his eyes. He makes a soft whining sound, pushing his nose against Yahaba's hand weakly. Yahaba takes it as the best sign he's going to get, holding as still as he can. “Kentarou, it's okay now.”

Kyoutani's eyes lift and he leans his head back slightly, and in the space of a blink he's normal again, bleeding and breathing heavy, eyebrows knit tightly together, staring at Yahaba's still outstretched hand. Yahaba reaches forward again slowly, touching his fingers to the side of Kyoutani's neck that isn't sliced open by a roughly circular ring of teeth. He doesn't quite flinch away, but he tenses slightly.

“S- sorry,” his voice comes out as a mumble, crumpling forward and resting his head against Yahaba's shoulder. At first Yahaba thinks it's for the fight itself but Kyoutani shakes his head sharply, reaching out to grip Yahaba's hand. “I can do better. Don't-- don't be mad.”

Yahaba blinks furiously, moving from touching Kyoutani's neck to stroking the back of his head, kissing his temple and leaving shushing sounds there. “You did well. Of course I'm not mad, ssh.”

His head shakes again, but he leans into the soft touch of Yahaba's hands like he doesn't expect it to continue. His breathing is shallow, but at least there're only a few actual bites that Yahaba can see though there are leaves and dirt stuck to his sides and his back. He lets Kyoutani sit until his breath is coming in and out slow and even, leaning back and stroking his hair still. “C'mon. We'll go back and I'll get you all patched up, okay?”

He smiles the best that he can, hoping that Kyoutani can't feel how badly his hands are shaking. His eyes are still dark, frowning even as he nods, refusing to let go of Yahaba's hand as he stands, leaning weight heavily on Yahaba.

The walk is slow and hard, with Kyoutani having to pause frequently to look around before announcing which way they should go. His legs are shaking again by the time they reach the tent, and Yahaba shuffles him inside as quietly as he can, digging a first aid kit out of his bag and thanking his mother for reminding him to pack it. He has to use all of the packed alcohol wipes to clean all the scratches and cuts littering Kyoutani's chest and back, pausing frequently just to rub his shoulders and stroke the uninjured patches of skin that he can find.

Kyoutani looks at him strangely when he's finished, frowning harder than before and reaching a hand out, lifting Yahaba's wrist and looking down at the small scrapes on his palms. “You got hurt.”

“I tripped,” Yahaba almost rolls his eyes but stops himself at the last moment, curling their fingers together. He can read the tension in Kyoutani's shoulders, the stiffness that hasn't left him once since asking Yahaba not to be mad at him.

“S- Shigeru,” Kyoutani mumbles the name out awkwardly, staring at their hands and frowning. He seems to be struggling for what he actually wants to say, curling his other hand into a fist, teeth gritting hard. “I can do better than that.”

“Better than not getting your ass kicked by three other people?” Yahaba raises an eyebrow then sighs, shaking his head slowly. “I'd rather have you be okay.”

Kyoutani huffs, turning his face away, staring stubbornly at the fabric wall of the tent until Yahaba tucks the first aid kit away with a shake of his head, reaching out a hesitant hand and touching the old scar on Kyoutani's hip. The motion makes him jolt slightly, whipping his head back around with eyes gone a little wide like he's expecting something worse to happen.

Yahaba gives him a slow, slightly uneven smile and keeps stroking his skin. Kyoutani's face goes red, his eyes darting away but more softly this time, embarrassment rather than something darker. “You take too much getting used to. At least scold me for fighting.”

Yahaba kisses his cheek instead, coaxes Kyoutani to falling asleep wrapped up in his arms, catches the small flash of a smile before closing his eyes.


End file.
